Dongmen Family Name#

Dongmen is the family name, pronounced as “dōng mén”.

Regions where the Dongmen family name is found#

• Jiyang Commandery: During the Warring States period, it was a city of the State of Wei. In the Western Han dynasty, it was renamed Jiyang County, with its administrative center located in the northeastern part of present-day Lankao County, Henan Province.
• Kaifeng Prefecture: Historically known as Daliang, Liang, or Bian, it is also referred to as Bianliang and is now a city under the jurisdiction of Henan Province.

Origin of the Dongmen family name#

The origin of the Dongmen family name is straightforward. It derives from the Ji clan. It originated among the descendants of Gongzi Sui, a high-ranking official of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. Gongzi Sui, whose courtesy name was Xiangzhong, served as an official in the State of Lu. Since his residence was near the eastern gate of Qufu city, people began to call him “Dongmen Xiangzhong” (meaning “Xiangzhong from the Eastern Gate”). He faced opposition from other prominent families for supporting a son born out of his concubine to become the ruler. After the death of Duke Zhuang of Lu, his son Gongsun Guifu, who succeeded him as an official, was immediately expelled from Lu. Gongsun Guifu fled to the State of Qi and adopted his father’s title “Dongmen” as his family name.

Ancestor of the family name

The ancestor of the Dongmen family is Gongzi Sui (also known as Ji Sui). The Dongmen family name has a history of over 2,500 years. During the Spring and Autumn period, Gongzi Sui, a son of Duke Zhuang of Lu, took the title “Dongmen Xiangzhong” because he lived near the eastern gate of Qufu. His descendants adopted this title as their family name. The Dongmen family became a prominent clan in Jiyang (which is now part of Shandong Province).

Migration and distribution

Although the Dongmen family name is ancient, it does not rank among the top 300 most common family names in mainland China. The Dongmen clan originated from Jiyang Commandery and became prominent there. The Dongmen family name is not among the top 100 most common family names in either mainland China or Taiwan. It derives from the Ji clan and is named after the family’s place of residence. During the Spring and Autumn period, Gongzi Sui, a son of Duke Zhuang of Lu, lived near the eastern gate of Qufu city and was thus called Dongmen Xiangzhong. After Duke Wen of Lu’s death, Gongzi Sui attempted to make the son of one of Duke Wen’s concubines, named Wo, the heir to the throne, but this was opposed by other officials. Later, Gongzi Sui sought the support of the Duke of Qi to support Wo’s claim to the throne, and the Duke of Qi agreed. After Duke Wen’s death, Gongzi Sui, with the support of Qi, eliminated the rival clans and established himself as the ruler of Lu. However, he became a bitter enemy of the three powerful clans of Lu (the Jisun, Mengsun, and Shusun clans). After Gongzi Sui’s death, his son Gongsun Guifu succeeded him as an official. In 591 BCE, when Duke Xuan of Lu died, the Jisun clan accused Gongzi Sui of supporting an illegitimate heir and expelled him. Gongsun Guifu fled to Qi and adopted the name “Dongmen” as his family name.

Hall names

• Jiyang Hall: Named after the prominent family’s origin in Jiyang.
• Kaifeng Hall: Named after the prominent family’s origin in Kaifeng.

Notable people with the Dongmen family name**#

• Dongmen Yun: A Confucian scholar of the Han dynasty who studied the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals. He served as the governor of Jingzhou and the Grand Tutor of Wending. He taught the Gongyang Commentary to many students and had a positive impact on governance.
• Dongmen Xiangzhong: The ancestor of the Dongmen family name. A high-ranking official of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, originally surnamed Ji. His descendants adopted the title “Dongmen” as their family name.
• Dongmen Guifu: Originally named Gongsun Guifu and styled Zijia, he was a son of Dongmen Xiangzhong. He also served as an official in Lu and tried to eliminate the powerful clans. After Duke Xuan of Lu’s death, his entire family was expelled by these clans, and he fled to Qi, where he adopted the name “Dongmen” as his family name.